The Darius Slay era in Philadelphia has been full of excitement, but it’ll be coming to an end soon, and the player who could be a future Hall of Fame cornerback has started to ponder retirement.
As Slay enters his 12th NFL season at age 33, he’s focused on mentoring Quinyon Mitchell and the Eagles’ other young cornerbacks while looking toward the future. During his first preseason media session, Slay didn’t hide that the end was near and that he would “not be playing much longer.”
Darius Slay on how many more years he wants to play: “Not too many more.”
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) July 24, 2024
Slay has made the Pro Bowl in the last three seasons, logging nine interceptions, two touchdown returns, and 43 pass breakups in 60 games. Slay has avoided the normal decline cornerbacks face in their 30s, but he told Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia one week ago, “I’m not going to just keep playing. I’m going to let these young guys eat. That’s what I’m here for, to make sure these guys get there. And when my time is up, it’s up.”
Slay is under contract for the next two years, but over the past five years, only seven cornerbacks aged 33 or older have started ten or more games in a season. Dallas Cowboys’ Stephon Gilmore started every game last season at 33, and history suggests that the former Mississippi State star could fall off the cliff in 2024.
